


Sleepless Nights and Old Friends

by Falcner95



Category: Criminal Minds, Crossing Lines
Genre: Brotherly Love, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 21:33:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9290459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falcner95/pseuds/Falcner95
Summary: Spencer Reid and Tommy McConnell have known each other for a long time, even if they live on opposite sides of the world right now. When one can't sleep and the other is just waking up who better to talk to? Little one shots almost but all a story.





	1. Chapter 1 - Tommy

**Author's Note:**

> So just in case no one has seen Crossing Lines, Tommy McConnell is Irish and the accent I try to portray may or may not be the right one but please bear with me. That is why some words are weirdly done.

Pacing the living room of the apartment he had been living in for over three years now Tommy McConnell couldn't sleep. 

He had already tried beating on the punching bag for a bit but all that did was make his tired mind work harder to figure out what was wrong. 

Running hadn't helped either. Now he felt sluggish and awake at the same time. Looking at the clock above the stove he picked his cell phone up and dialed a very familiar number. One that wasn't in his phone for a reason but one that he knew by heart. 

On the other side of the globe SSA. Dr. Spencer Reid was getting ready for work when his phone went off. His eyebrows wrinkled in confusion as to who would be calling this early in the morning. It ended when he saw the familiar number. 

Picking it up he swiped the bar at the bottom to answer and put it to his ear. "Thought you'd be asleep by now," he teased.

Tommy scoffed at that. "You and me both, mate."

Spencer sighed. He knew what happened when Tommy couldn't sleep. "Memories, huh?"

"Yeah," Tommy said, his voice thick with emotions. 

"What happened?"

Clearing his throat Tommy told Spencer what had happened. The latest international case had been a doozy for sure. A serial arsonist had been on the loose through Germany to France then Britain and Ireland. After the third fire the International Criminal Court had been called in with no problem. Everybody in every country had wanted this tosser caught. Especially after he had started taking children. 

Tommy broke down after telling Spencer that bit of info. Spencer didn't blame him. There were some times on his job that they had to find a corner to cry in or someone to talk to before they went crazy. 

"Hey, it'll get better. A rough case does this sometimes. Especially to my team." Spencer tried to be upbeat but words really didn't help the man in the Netherlands so far away. Tommy McConnell was more tactile than Spencer when it came to comfort but sometimes just hearing a friendly voice helped. 

He often called when he couldn't sleep just to talk and sometimes just to vent about a case. This case seemed pretty bad, when compared with the BAU cases. But Spencer knew it could have been worse too. He had seen those cases too. 

"Thanks for listening, mate. I needed it after this."

"You know I'll listen anytime, Tommy, what else are friends for?"

Tommy chuckled and yawned, cracking his jaw as he did so. 

Spencer rolled his eyes. "You in pj's already?"

"Who says I wear pj's ta bed there?"

Spencer had no response for that one. Tommy was definitely the one that says everything to make it dirty. He had found that out the hard way. "Good night then."

"Yeah night. And Spencer?"

"Hmm?"

T'anks for listening."

"Anytime," Spencer said and clicked the end button. He still had to get ready for the day.


	2. Chapter 2 - Spencer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning minor character death but anyone who liked Maeve, I'm sorry for this.

Getting home after a case was hard but going back to an empty apartment was the hardest thing ever. Especially since Maeve was gone now. 

Shaking his head to get rid of those thoughts he quickly showered and put on sweats and an old tank that a friend had left here. 

Finding his cell phone he dialed a familiar number and held his breath. He hoped he would pick up. He really needed to talk to someone right now.   
****************************************************************************************************  
Groaning and rolling over Tommy McConnell groped the bedside table for that annoying piece of technology everyone carried these days. 

Blinking blurry eyes he startled awake at the number on his screen. Spencer didn't really call that was Tommy's area. It was usually him calling Spencer. Usually after a bad case or a bad day.

Laying back in bed he clicked ANSWER and held it to his ear. "Someone once asked me "shouldn't you be asleep by now?"

Spencer laughed on the other end. "If I remember correctly they answered me with "You and me both, mate."

Tommy grinned then let it fall away. "What's the matter, Spence? Usually I'm the one doing the calling."

"Maybe I just needed to hear that annoying Irish accent of yours," Spencer teased. 

"Annoying? Me Irish is annoyin' ya'? Why Spencer I'm hurt, I really am." 

A chuckle out of Spencer was answer enough. 

Turning serious Tommy sat up and held the phone tighter to his ear. "What is it Spencer? What's wrong?"

"She's gone Tommy and she's never coming back. I couldn't save her." Spencer whimpered as another sob choked the rest of the words in his throat.

"Hey, hey, hey, Spencer, it's not your fault okay. You tried your best didn't you?"

"My 'best' wasn't enough in this case. She's gone and she isn't coming back. No more late talks or chess games over the phone. I can't call and listen to her rant for hours about a bad book she read or give her suggestions on what to read next. There's no person to discuss what poet was better and why or to talk to about the team and the stupid stuff they do. There's no one now!" Spencer sobbed through the phone as Tommy's heart broke. 

When Spencer had first told him about Maeve he had been sceptical but had soon warmed to the idea that there would be someone else for Spencer to talk to besides him and the team. It got monotonous when you talked to the same people over and over sometimes. 

And honestly meeting Maeve had been good for Spencer. He had been able to open up more, be his normal shy and genius self. He had been happy for crying out loud and someone had ripped that away for good. 

Tommy sat there and listened until Spencer was cried out and he needed to get to work. Though he didn't hang up until Spencer fell silent and light snoring was heard from his end, Tommy just hoped that he had remembered to take his tie and shoes off.


	3. Chapter 3 - Tommy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I forgot in the very first chapter to do this here goes nothing...I own nothing except Tommy's middle name. I could not find out if he had one thus I made one up.

Tommy barged into his apartment. He never wanted this. Not today. But no, someone had to go to Scotland Yard and Major Daniel had sent him. He knew it was a good choice. He knew the area well, still had contacts stashed away, and Tommy wasn't afraid to bend a few rules to get things done. He'd been raised like that and his team understood it well enough to allow it to some extent.

Going to the Yard wasn't the problem it was everything after that. He'd been arrested, held under a false charge, and placed in a holding cell with his Father of all people. Just because he defended his family and the clan he'd been born into.

After receiving his fair share of bruises, cuts, and blood stains the ICC had figured out something was wrong and got him out. Tommy thanked God for that one. His Father still packed a punch after all these years. 

Now that it was said and done, the case was closed and the team was in their respective homes or hovels it all came crashing down and Tommy wasn't taking it so well.

Clenching his hands into fists he remembered he was holding his phone as he heard the case give a snap.

Inhaling a deep breath he let it out slowly and unlocked his phone. Staring at the picture there he smiled. On Spencer's last two week vacation off from work he had come and hung out with Tommy. Seeing the sights and goofing around. His team would probably lose their minds if they saw some of the things their young genius had been doing. Tommy bet they didn't know that Spencer was an adrenaline junkie. 

They had done everything short of bungee jumping, Spencer hadn't been able to talk Tommy into that. But cliff diving, jet skis, and even paragliding had been done. That had been the best couple weeks of Tommy's life.

Dialing the number he held his breath and prayed it was picked up. He really needed to talk right now. Hell, he'd take a machine at this point but a live person was better. 

"Hello, Spencer Reid's phone. This is Derek Morgan speaking."

"Is Spencer there? I'm kinda' hoping ta' speak ta' him."

Morgan chuckled. "He's here. Just sleeping. Want me to wake him up?"

"No, thanks. Just tell him that a friend called."

"Will do," Morgan replied clicking the END button and slid the phone back into his teammates bag.

"Who was that?"

Morgan looked up at JJ's question with a smile on his face. "Somebody that wanted to talk to Reid here. Told them he was sleeping and he said not to wake him up."

Nodding JJ made her way back to the seat and settled in for the flight home.

Back in the Netherlands Tommy McConnell ran a shaky hand through his hair. He knew he should do something to get rid of this nervousness but he didn't want to run anymore and punching the bag was a bad idea right now. It brought back too many buried memories.

Sitting down he took several deep breaths but nothing worked. He couldn't do this right now!

Grabbing his phone, his headphones, and the armband for his phone he left the apartment, locking up and slid the key into the potted plant next to the door.

Taking one last look around Tommy took off. Down the stairs, around the corner, and to the park that held trails for him to run. His footfalls echoed in his body, his music turned up he couldn't hear himself think over it.

Running the familiar trails allowed him to zone out a bit. He might've zoned too much because he didn't register his phone had rung until it cut out and started again.

Stopping he tapped the answer button. " 'Lo? McConnell here."

"So formal over the phone Tommy, what's the occasion?" A voice teased.

"Spencer!" Relief was evident in Tommy's voice. He stopped running and started walking back to his apartment slowly, giving him and his body time to cool down.

"Morgan said you called. What's up? Everything ok there?"

"Yeah just a difficult case. Scotland Yard wasn't exactly a vacation."

"Scotland Yard? Thomas Lee McConnell, what did you do?"

Tommy chuckled at that. For once he hadn't done anything but he remembered his first time meeting Spencer had been in a jail cell. 

"Nothing too serious this time, Spency. Just family drama."

"Ouch. How bad?"

"Bruises mostly, some blood, y'know how it goes," Tommy replied picking the key out of the dirt and unlocking the door.

Taking his shoes off he lounged himself on the couch after taking the phone from the holder on his arm. Placing it on his stomach he settled back with his arms behind his head and smirked as Spencer talked. 

"Tommy McConnell," he was saying and Tommy could picture his face all drawn and exasperated looking. He would be shaking his head and taking a deep breath to try and remain calm.

"You're not a cat, you don't have nine lives. Take a bit better care of yourself would ya'?"

The Irishman chuckled at that. "I could say the same thing ta' you, Spencer Reid. Jumping into the middle of trouble, anthrax that one time, an' let's no' fo'get that one time you took a bullet ta' the knee." 

"If I say it was for the job what would that get me?"

"My undying worry. Yer' a trouble magnet at best."

Spencer chuckled. He should've expected that. "Wanna' talk about it?"

"A case that made me go home, Spence. A bad case of drug trafficking that was going through my Clan's camp. Y'know how Travellers are sometimes. A right pain in the arse this case was. And the bloody Englishman had it in for me too."

"How'd the team take it? Figuring out where you were from and all that?"

"Eh, the Major knew already, the others took it well I think. Time will tell. Who was that Morgan fellow that answered your phone? Sounded pretty chipper for after a case an all tha'."

"Morgan answered my phone? Guess that explain why he gave me a weird look when he said that someone called with a funny accent."

"Funny? I'll give him funny. Next time I call I'll sound British. Think that'll give him somet'ing to start about. Funny?"

Spencer chuckled as Tommy continued ranting and raving about Morgan and his comment. He really had wonderful times with the man. Only two years older than him Tommy was a breath of fresh air when Spencer needed it. Always ready to lend an ear and advice Spencer made sure to do the same in return.

"Spence? You still there?"

"Yes, still alive here. You okay now or want to talk some more?"

"Think I'm good. T'anks for listening Spence."

"You're welcome Tommy you know that."

"Yeah I know. Good night Spencer."

"Good night Tommy."


End file.
